TORONTO — Doug Ford warned oil companies that they’re being “watched” and called on them to pass any savings he gives them to the price at the pump.

“We’re going to have a frank discussion with the oil companies,” Ford told reporters Tuesday.

After putting gas prices “on notice” Friday for price gouging, Ford ruled out directly regulating the price of gas on Tuesday. “I’m not going to control that,” he said as he doubled down on threats to the companies.

“We just have a good heart-to-heart talk with the oil companies and understand that they’re being watched right now,” he said. He didn’t explain how he could further influence gas prices, his party has already promised to cut the fuel tax by 5.7 cents a litre and says scrapping cap-and-trade will save another 4.3 cents on the price of gas.

Ford says he plans to have a “frank” talk with gas companies in Ontario about hiking gas prices ahead of a long weekend. Doesn’t elaborate but says he won’t regulate #onpolipic.twitter.com/1jUc0YHFDT

“I’m going to be watching every move, every move they make,” Ford said about the gas companies. “Let’s keep in mind, if we’re going to knock the prices down by 10 cents a litre, hopefully they can support the people of Ontario.”

“It’s called the free market,” he said. But “when you have four or five oil companies, it’s called a monopoly, too.”

Gas prices in Toronto are currently over 130 cents per litre. Polls done by Abacus Data, Pollara Strategic Insights and Navigator after the election showed that cutting gas prices is the top priority for voters as Ford takes over government.

With that in mind Ford is calling on companies to pass on any savings that he brings them.

To the Ontarians who may be watching him on TV, Ford asked “does it tick you off on a Friday, on a long weekend, just arbitrarily, the oil companies decide to jack their prices?”

“You look at the prices south of the border, what is it — four litres to a gallon — people would be having riots down there if they were paying $5.”

In a speech lasting less than five minutes, Ford repeated many of his slogans from the election campaign. He reiterated his first moves as premier designate to meet with industry representatives on NAFTA and his promise to make scrapping cap-and-trade his first order of business.

“The party with the taxpayers’ money is over,” Ford said to loud applause from his 75 MPPs-elect.

Afterwards Ford also told reporters the government-wide hiring freeze he called for doesn’t extend to nurses and teachers. On Monday the Progressive Conservatives wouldn’t confirm whether the hiring freeze extended to health care.

He said the freeze only applied to “non-essential” public service workers.

Ford also made a point of saying taxpayers wouldn’t pay for his caucus’ lunch. Instead the party said Ford will pay for their pizza lunch out of his own pocket.

On hand to brief the MPPs on the incoming government’s plans were several people from Ford’s transition team including former foreign affairs minister John Baird, Ford’s new chief of staff Dean French, and former federal Conservative staffers including Chris Froggatt, Kory Teneycke, Melissa Lantsman and Jenni Byrne.